Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus

ABSTRACT

In an electro-optic device  1 , connection to first electrodes  40  of a first transparent substrate  10  extending in one direction from the side, to which signals are inputted, is established through electrical conduction between two substrates in a width-wise central area of the first transparent substrate using first terminals  81 . To second electrodes  50  of a second transparent substrate  20  which are routed toward the outer side, signals are directly inputted from second terminals  82 . The obliquely routed second electrodes  50  are formed of, e.g., an aluminum alloy film, and slit-like openings are formed in the second electrodes  50  to allow passage of light emitted from a backlight device  9.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/881,655 filed Jun. 14,2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Technical Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an electro-optic device havingan electro-optic substance held between a pair of substrates, and anelectronic apparatus employing the electro-optic device. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to the structure ofelectrodes and terminals in each of the substrates constituting theelectro-optic device.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Of various types of electro-optic devices, one (liquid crystaldevice) utilizing a liquid crystal as an electro-optic substancecomprises, as shown in FIG. 21, a first transparent substrate 10Z and asecond transparent substrate 20Z arranged in an opposed relation, asealing material 30 for bonding both the substrates to each other, and aliquid crystal sealed in an area surrounded by the first transparentsubstrate 10Z, the second transparent substrate 20Z and the sealingmaterial 30. In a state of the first transparent substrate 10Z and thesecond transparent substrate 20Z being bonded to each other in anopposed relation, the first transparent substrate 10Z has a portion 25′extending out of an edge of the second transparent substrate 20Z, andthe second transparent substrate 20Z has a portion 25″ extending out ofan edge of the first transparent substrate 10Z.

[0006] A plurality of first electrodes 40Z are formed on a surface ofthe first transparent substrate 10Z opposing to the second transparentsubstrate 20Z. The first electrodes 40Z are formed to extend up to theextended portion 25′ of the first transparent substrate 10Z forconnection to a driving IC 7Z′ mounted in the extended portion 25′. Onthe other hand, a plurality of second electrodes 50Z are formed on asurface of the second transparent substrate 20Z opposing to the firsttransparent substrate 10Z in a crossed relation to the first electrodes40Z. The second electrodes 50Z are formed to extend up to the extendedportion 25″ of the second transparent substrate 20Z for connection to adriving IC 7Z″ mounted in the extended portion 25″. Thus, output signalsfrom the driving IC 7Z′ are supplied to the first electrodes 40Z, andoutput signals from the driving IC 7Z″ are supplied to the secondelectrodes 50Z.

[0007] However, such a construction has the problem that the size of theelectro-optic device is increased because the first transparentsubstrate 10Z and the second transparent substrate 20Z have the extendedportions 25′, 25″.

[0008] To overcome the above problem, there has been proposed anelectro-optic device of the type that permits signals to be inputtedfrom one substrate to the other substrate by utilizing electricalconduction between both the substrates. This electrical conductionbetween both the substrates is established as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.When a first transparent substrate 10Z and a second transparentsubstrate 20Z are bonded to each other, inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 60Z constituted by ends of the first electrodes 40Zformed on the first transparent substrate 10Z and end portions 70Z ofterminals formed on the second transparent substrate 20Z are placed inan opposed relation. In this condition, the sealing material 30 ishardened while applying forces to narrow a gap between theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60Z and the terminal endportions 70Z so that conductive particles 31 dispersed in the sealingmaterial 30 are collapsed between the first transparent substrate 10Zand the second transparent substrate 20Z. As a result, the conductiveparticles 31 present between the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 60Z and the terminal end portions 70Z establish electricalconduction between them, while the other conductive particles 31 presentin other areas than the areas, in which the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 60Z and the terminal end portions 70Z are opposed toeach other, are not collapsed and do not take part in the electricalconduction between them. Therefore, only the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 60Z and the terminal end portions 70Z are electricallyconducted to each other.

[0009] As described below in connection with FIG. 23, the size of theelectro-optic device can be reduced by utilizing the electricalconduction thus established between both the substrates. Referring toFIG. 23, the second transparent substrate 20Z is formed to be greaterthan the first transparent substrate 10Z, and the second transparentsubstrate 20Z has a portion 25Z extending out of an edge of the firsttransparent substrate 10Z. In the extended portion 25Z, a driving IC 7is mounted for supplying predetermined signals to first electrodes 40Zof the first transparent substrate 10Z and second electrodes 50Z of thesecond transparent substrate 20Z. By utilizing the electricalconduction, described above with reference to FIG. 22, in a regioncircumscribed by a circle C in FIG. 23, output terminals of the drivingIC 7Z mounted on the second transparent substrate 20Z are connected tothe first electrodes 40Z of the first transparent substrate 10Z as wellthrough the electrical conduction between both the substrates.

[0010] Employing such a construction reduces the size of theelectro-optic device as compared with the electro-optic device shown inFIG. 21 because only the one extended portion 25′ is needed.

[0011] Further, even in an electro-optic device not employing the COGmounting, it is only necessary to connect a flexible board to oneextended portion as shown in FIGS. 24 to 29.

[0012]FIGS. 24 and 25 are respectively a perspective view and anexploded perspective view of a conventional electro-optic device. FIG.26 is a sectional view of one end of the electro-optic device on theside indicated by XIV′ when sectioned along line XIV-XIV′ in FIG. 24.FIG. 27 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, electrodes andterminals formed on a first transparent substrate of the electro-opticdevice shown in FIGS. 24, 25 and 26, and FIG. 28 is a plan view showing,in enlarged scale, electrodes and terminals formed on a secondtransparent substrate of the electro-optic device shown in FIG. 25. FIG.29 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, the electrodes and theterminals in a state where the first transparent substrate shown in FIG.27 and the second transparent substrate shown in FIG. 28 are bonded toeach other.

[0013] The electro-optic device shown in those drawings is also a liquidcrystal device of passive matrix type. As schematically shown in FIGS.24, 25 and 26, a pair of substrates each being made of a rectangularglass, for example, are bonded to each other by a sealing material 30with a predetermined gap left therebetween, and a liquid crystalsealed-in space 35 is defined by the sealing material 30 between boththe substrates. A liquid crystal as an electro-optic substance is sealedin the liquid crystal sealed-in space 35 to form a liquid crystal layer4 (electro-optic layer), and an inner area of the liquid crystalsealed-in space 35 serves as an image display area 2. In thisdescription, of the pair of substrates, one provided with firstelectrodes 40X (pixel addressing electrodes) including drive portions41X formed thereon to extend over the image display area 2 in thedirection of length is assumed to be a first transparent substrate 10X,and the other provided with second electrodes 50Y (pixel addressingelectrodes) including drive portions 51Y formed thereon to extend overthe image display area 2 in the direction of width is assumed to be asecond transparent substrate 20Y.

[0014] On the second transparent substrate 20Y, as shown in FIG. 26,sets of color filters 7R, 7G and 7B of red (R), green (G) and blue (B)are formed in areas corresponding to points at which the firstelectrodes 40X intersect the second electrodes 50Y. An insulatingflattening film 21, the second electrodes 50Y and an alignment film 22are formed in this order on the surface side of the color filters 7R, 7Gand 7B. In the first transparent substrate 10X, an alignment film 12 isformed on the surface side of the first electrodes 40X.

[0015] This electro-optic device 1X is of the transmissive type, and thefirst electrodes 40X and the second electrodes 50Y are each formed of anITO film (Indium Tin Oxide/transparent conductive film). In theelectro-optic device 1X, a polarizing plate 62 is affixed to an outersurface of the second transparent substrate 20Y, and a polarizing plate61 is affixed to an outer surface of the first transparent substrate10X. Further, a backlight device 9 is disposed outside the firsttransparent substrate 10X.

[0016] In the transmissive electro-optic device 1X having theabove-described construction, the light emitted from the backlightdevice 9 enters the first transparent substrate 10X and then exits fromthe side of the second transparent substrate 20Y after being modulatedby the liquid crystal layer 4.

[0017] In the electro-optic device 1X, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 25,inputting of signals from the exterior and electrical conduction betweenboth the substrates are made using areas near respective one sides 101X,201Y of the first transparent substrate 10X and the second transparentsubstrate 20Y, which are located in the same direction. To this end, aportion of the first transparent substrate 10X near the side 101Xthereof is extended out of an edge of the second transparent substrate20Y to form an extended portion 15X, and a flexible board 90 including adriving IC 7X mounted thereon is connected to the extended portion 15X.Also, an area of the first transparent substrate 10X, on which the side201Y of the second transparent substrate 20Y lies, is used to establishthe electrical conduction with the second transparent substrate 20Y.

[0018] To realize such a construction, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 27, aplurality of first terminals 81X are formed in opposite outer areas ofthe first transparent substrate 10X in the longitudinal direction of theside 101X thereof, and a plurality of second terminals 82X are formed ina central area of the first transparent substrate 10X in the samelongitudinal direction.

[0019] In the first transparent substrate 10X, the second terminals 82Xare constituted by ends of the first electrodes 40X. The firstelectrodes 40X comprise wiring portions 42X extending straight from thesecond terminals 82X toward a side 102X of the first transparentsubstrate 10X opposing to the side 10X (i.e., toward the image displayarea 2) and then extending obliquely outward, and drive portions 41Xextending straight from the wiring portions 42X toward the opposing side102X of the first transparent substrate 10X. Herein, the firstelectrodes 40X and the first terminals 81X are formed of an ITO film.

[0020] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 28, the secondelectrodes 50Y formed on the second transparent substrate 20Y comprisedrive portions 51Y, wiring portions 52Y leading from the drive portions51Y, and inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y formed at endsof the wiring portions 52Y. The inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 70Y are formed to lie side by side along the side 201Y of thesecond transparent substrate 20Y. Herein, the second electrodes 50X areformed of an ITO film.

[0021] On the second transparent substrate 20Y, the wiring portions 52Yare routed so as to bypass an area overlapping the wiring portions 42Xof the first electrodes 40X formed on the first transparent substrate10X when viewed from above, passing through areas located on both sidesof that overlapping area. Therefore, the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 70Y are shaped such that they are linearly formed in acentral region of the side 201Y of the second transparent substrate 20Y,but a proportion of an obliquely extending zone (inclined zone 702Y) ineach entire terminal portion 70Y is increased as they extend toward theleft and right farther away from the central region of the side 210Y.

[0022] Unlike the normal wiring portions, the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 70Y establish the electrical conduction with ends 60Xof the second terminal 82X through conductive particles held betweenboth the substrates, and are hence more likely to cause ashort-circuiting between the adjacent terminals. To surely prevent ashort-circuiting between those terminals, it is necessary to secure asufficiently wide spacing between the adjacent terminals. For thisreason, those of the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y,which are located close to the opposite ends of the side 201Y of thesecond transparent substrate 20Y, are formed to have straight zones 701Ywith lengths differing to a relatively large extent between the adjacentterminal portions 70Y, so that a relatively wide spacing is ensuredbetween the adjacent inclined zones 702Y obliquely extending from thestraight zones 701Y. Therefore, an angle α formed by a line E connectingthe boundaries of the straight zones 701Y and the inclined zones 702Y ofthe inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y with respect to theside 201Y of the second transparent substrate 20Y is fairly large.

[0023] On the other hand, those of the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 70Y, which are located in a region closer to thecenter of the side 201Y of the second transparent substrate 20Y, areextended straight thoroughly. Zones obliquely extending from ends of theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y constitute the wiringportions 52Y that do not take part in establishing the electricalconduction between both the substrates through conductive particles. Inthe wiring portions 52Y, therefore, the spacing between adjacentpatterns can be fairly narrowed. Thus, in the region closer to thecenter of the side 201Y of the second transparent substrate 50Y, anangle formed by a line connecting the boundaries between straight zones501Y and inclined zones 502Y of the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 70Y with respect to the side 201Y of the second transparentsubstrate 20Y is fairly small.

[0024] When constructing the electro-optic device 1X using the firsttransparent substrate 10X and the second transparent substrate 20Y whichhave the above-described construction, in the step of bonding the firsttransparent substrate 10X and the second transparent substrate 20Ythrough a sealing material 30 as shown in FIGS. 25 and 29, a gapmaterial and conductive particles are mixed in the sealing material 30,and the sealing material 30 is further applied to an area in which theends 60X of the first terminals 81X and the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 70Y are positioned to lie one above the other. Bybonding the first transparent substrate 10X and the second transparentsubstrate 20Y through the sealing material 30, therefore, the ends 60Xof the first terminals 81X and the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 70Y are electrically conducted with each other through theconductive particles. Also, as a result of bonding the first transparentsubstrate 10X and the second transparent substrate 20Y, pixels 5 areformed in a matrix pattern by points at which the drive portions 41X ofthe first electrodes 40X intersect the drive portions 51Y of the secondelectrodes 50Y.

[0025] Accordingly, by mounting the flexible board 90 to the firstterminals 81X and the second terminals 82X, which are formed on thefirst transparent substrate 10X along the side 101X thereof, with theaid of an anisotropic conductive material or the like, and theninputting signals to the first terminals 81X and the second terminals82X through the flexible board 90, image data signals can be directlyapplied from the second terminals 82X to the first electrodes 40X formedon the first transparent substrate 10X, and scan signals can be appliedto the second electrodes 50Y formed on the second transparent substrate20Y through the first terminals 81X, the conductive particles and theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y.

[0026] However, since the electrical conduction between both thesubstrates is conventionally established using the inter-substrateconducting terminal portions 70Y having the obliquely extending zones,there arises a problem that a sufficient spacing between the inclinedzones 702Y of the adjacent terminal portions 70Y must be ensured byforming the straight zones 701Y to have lengths differing from eachother to a relatively large extent, thus resulting in wasteful use of anarea that is positioned outside the image display area 2 and includesthe inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y. In theconventional electrode structure, if the number of the second electrodes50Y is further increased in a region (having a region width indicated byarrow B) where patterns must be obliquely formed between a cornerportion of an innermost one of the first electrodes 40X formed on thefirst transparent substrate 10X, which is bent near a correspondingcorner of the image display area 2, and a base end portion of anoutermost one of the first terminals 81X, the wiring portions 52Y of thesecond electrodes 50Y are overlapped with the wiring portions 42X of thefirst electrodes 40X in an area 250 shown in FIG. 29. This results in ahigher probability that a short-circuiting may occur between both thesubstrates. Also, if the spacing between the inclined zones 702Y of theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 70Y is narrowed to createan area allowing addition of the second electrodes 50Y with the view ofincreasing the number of the second electrodes 50Y, this try increases aprobability that a short-circuiting may occur between the adjacentterminals. Further, if a solution of reducing, e.g., the line width ofthe inter-substrate conducting terminal portion 70Y and/or the wiringportion 52Y of each second electrode 50Y is tried to forcibly createsuch an area allowing addition of the second electrodes 50Y by narrowingthe region width B, electrical resistance in those portions is increasedand therefore display quality deteriorates.

[0027] In view of the above-described problems, an object of the presentinvention is to provide an electro-optic device of a type that permitssignals inputted through external input terminals formed on onesubstrate to be inputted to the other substrate through electricalconduction between both the substrates, the device being constructed tobe able to increase the number of electrodes through proper design of awiring structure and wire material without deteriorating reliability anddisplay quality.

[0028] Another object of the present invention is to provide anelectro-optic device in which restrictions upon materials of conductivefilms constituting electrodes are alleviated without deterioratingdisplay quality based on combination of the principles of both thetransmissive type and the reflective type.

[0029] Still another object of the present invention is to provide anelectronic apparatus employing such an electro-optic device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0030] To solve the problems described above, according to the presentinvention, in an electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has thefeature of comprising an electro-optic layer supported between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; a first electrode formed on thefirst substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; anda first terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to thefirst electrode, the first electrode including a drive portion forapplying an electric field to the electro-optic layer and aninter-substrate conducting terminal portion connected to the driveportion and the first terminal, the second electrode including a driveportion for applying an electric field to the electro-optic layer and asecond terminal connected to the drive portion, the first and secondterminals being arranged to lie side by side along one side of thesecond substrate such that the second terminal is located on the outerside relative to the first terminal.

[0031] Also, according to the present invention, in an electro-opticdevice comprising a first substrate and a second substrate arranged inan opposed relation, the device has the feature of comprising anelectro-optic layer supported between the first substrate and the secondsubstrate; a first electrode formed on the first substrate; a secondelectrode formed on the second substrate; and a first terminal formed onthe second substrate and connected to the first electrode, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer and a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, the first and second terminals being arranged to lie sideby side along one side of the second substrate such that the firstterminal is located closer to the center than the second terminal.

[0032] Further, according to the present invention, in an electro-opticdevice comprising a first substrate and a second substrate arranged inan opposed relation, the device has the feature of comprising anelectro-optic layer supported between the first substrate and the secondsubstrate; a first electrode formed on the first substrate; a secondelectrode formed on the second substrate; and a first terminal formed onthe second substrate and connected to the first electrode, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer and a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, the first and second terminals being arranged to lie sideby side along one side of the second substrate such that the secondterminal is located on the outer side relative to the first terminal,the second electrode being made of at least a material having lowerelectrical resistance than that of the first electrode.

[0033] Still further, according to the present invention, in anelectro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a second substratearranged in an opposed relation, the device has the feature ofcomprising an electro-optic layer supported between the first substrateand the second substrate; a first electrode formed on the firstsubstrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; a firstterminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and an extended portion of the second substrate extending outof an edge of the first substrate, the first electrode including a driveportion for applying an electric field to the electro-optic layer and aninter-substrate conducting terminal portion connected to the driveportion and the first terminal, the second electrode including a driveportion for applying an electric field to the electro-optic layer and asecond terminal connected to the drive portion, the first and secondterminals being disposed in at least the extended portion, the first andsecond terminals being arranged to lie side by side along one side ofthe second substrate such that the second terminal is located on theouter side relative to the first terminal.

[0034] Still further, according to the present invention, in anelectro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a second substratearranged in an opposed relation, the device has the feature ofcomprising an electro-optic layer supported between the first substrateand the second substrate; a first electrode formed on the firstsubstrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; and afirst terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode, the first electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer and an inter-substrateconducting terminal portion connected to the drive portion and the firstterminal, the second electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer, a second terminal connectedto the drive portion, and a wiring portion for connecting the driveportion and the second terminal, the wiring portion of the secondelectrode being located on the outer side relative to the first terminalin a direction along one side of the second substrate.

[0035] In the electro-optic device of the present invention, the firstelectrode extending simply in the direction of length from one side ofthe first substrate, to which a signal is inputted, toward the otheropposing side thereof is connected through electrical conduction betweenthe first substrate and the second substrate. To the second electrodewhich is routed toward the outer side to bypass the first electrode andis extended in the direction of width, a signal is directly inputtedfrom the second terminal (external input terminal). Unlike theconventional wiring structure wherein a signal is directly inputted froman external input terminal to the first electrode extending simply inthe direction of length from one side of the first substrate, to which asignal is inputted, toward the other opposing side thereof and a signalis inputted through an obliquely extending inter-substrate conductingterminal portion to the second electrode which is routed toward theouter side to bypass the first electrode and is extended in thedirection of width, therefore, there is no need of utilizing theelectrical conduction between both the substrates in a region wherepatterns must be obliquely extended. Thus, in the region where patternsmust be obliquely extended, it is only necessary to form the secondelectrode which can be formed with a reduced distance between thepatterns. Accordingly, the necessity of reducing the spacing between theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions is eliminated even when thenumber of patterns is increased in the region where the patterns must beobliquely extended. With the present invention, therefore, reliabilityin the region of the electrical conduction between both the substratesdoes not deteriorate even in cases where the number of electrodes isincreased.

[0036] Also, the second electrode, which is subjected to such arestriction on electrode layout that patterns must be obliquelyextended, is formed of, e.g., a metallic film having smaller electricalresistance than an ITO film. With this feature, electricalcharacteristics are kept from deteriorating regardless of a reduction inthe line width of the wiring portion of the second electrode, which doesnot take part in constituting pixels. Accordingly, the present inventioncan prevent display quality from degrading due to deterioration of theelectrical characteristics even when the number of electrodes isincreased. Conversely speaking, given the number of patterns being thesame, the region of the second substrate, in which patterns must beobliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction. In the electro-optic device having the sameouter dimensions, it is possible to enlarge an image display area.Further, since the region of the second substrate, in which patternsmust be obliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction, it is possible to reduce the outer dimensionsof the electro-optic device having an image display area that is thesame size as in conventional devices.

[0037] In the present invention, the electro-optic device may beconstructed such that the second terminal is located on both sides ofthe first terminal in the direction along the one side of the secondsubstrate, or that the second terminal is located on one side of thefirst terminal in the direction along the one side of the secondsubstrate.

[0038] In the present invention, the inter-substrate conducting terminalportion of the first electrode and the first terminal are electricallyconnected to each other, for example, by an electrically conductingmaterial held between the first substrate and the second substrate. Theelectrically conducting material contains a resin held between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate, and conductive particles dispersedin the resin. When the electro-optic device further comprises a sealingmaterial disposed between the first substrate and the second substrateso as to surround the electro-optic layer, the electrically conductingmaterial includes the sealing material and conductive particlesdispersed in the sealing material.

[0039] In the present invention, when the second electrode includes awiring portion for connecting the drive portion and the second terminal,the wiring portion is preferably located on the outer side relative tothe first terminal in the direction along the one side of the secondsubstrate.

[0040] In the present invention, preferably, the inter-substrateconducting terminal portion of the first electrode is connected to anend of the first terminal, and the wiring portion of the secondelectrode includes a zone arranged obliquely relative to the end of thefirst terminal.

[0041] In the present invention, preferably, the wiring portion of thesecond electrode is arranged so as to bend around a lateral region ofthe first terminal.

[0042] In the present invention, when the first electrode is provided inplural number and the second electrode is provided in plural number, thenumber of the first electrodes is preferably larger than the number ofthe second electrodes.

[0043] In the present invention, preferably, an image data signal issupplied to the first electrode, and a scan signal is supplied to thesecond electrode. With this feature of reducing electrical resistance ofthe electrode to which a scan signal is supplied, image quality can beimproved correspondingly.

[0044] In the present invention, the first electrode may be formed of atleast a transparent conductive film, and the second electrode may beformed of at least a metallic film. For example, the first electrode maybe formed of at least an ITO film, and the second electrode is formed ofat least a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum,silver, an aluminum alloy, and a silver alloy.

[0045] In the present invention, the second electrode has an openingformed therein to allow passage of light entering from the side of thesecond substrate. In this case, the opening is, e.g., a slit- orwindow-like opening. With this construction, since the second electrodeis formed of a metallic film and is capable of reflecting light, thelight incident upon the first substrate is reflected by the secondelectrode and then exits from the side of the first substrate afterbeing modulated by an electro-optic substance. Accordingly, theelectro-optic device of the present invention functions in the firstplace as a reflective display device. Further, since the opening isformed in the second electrode, the light emitted from a backlightdevice and entering the second substrate passes through the opening ofthe second electrode and then exits from the side of the first substrateafter being modulated by the electro-optic substance such as a liquidcrystal. Accordingly, the electro-optic device of the present inventionfurther functions as a transmissive display device. As a result, displayquality is kept from degrading even when the light transmittance of thesecond electrode is reduced by using, as a material of the secondelectrode, a metallic film having small electrical resistance, such asan aluminum film, an alloy film made of primarily aluminum, a silverfilm, or a silver alloy film made of primarily silver.

[0046] In the present invention, the electro-optic layer is a liquidcrystal layer.

[0047] The electro-optic device according to the present invention canreduce the size of a non-display area or increase the number of pixelswithout deteriorating the reliability. Therefore, the electro-opticdevice is preferably used as a display unit of an electronic apparatus,in particular, a small-sized one.

[0048] The present invention is applicable to not only an electro-opticdevice wherein, for example, a flexible board including a driving ICmounted thereon by the COF (Chip On Flexible Tape), TCP (Tape CarrierPackage) or TAB (Tape Automated Bonding) technique, is connected to thesecond substrate, but also an electro-optic device wherein a driving ICis connected to the second substrate by the COG (Chip On Glass)technique.

[0049] More specifically, according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in an electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has thefeature of comprising an electro-optic layer supported between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; a first electrode formed on thefirst substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; afirst terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and a driving IC mounted on the second substrate, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer and a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, the first and second terminals being arranged to lie sideby side along one side of the second substrate and connected to thedriving IC, the second terminal being located on the outer side relativeto the first terminal.

[0050] Also, according to another aspect of the present invention, in anelectro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a second substratearranged in an opposed relation, the device has the feature ofcomprising an electro-optic layer supported between the first substrateand the second substrate; a first electrode formed on the firstsubstrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; a firstterminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and a driving IC mounted on the second substrate, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer and a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, the first and second terminals being arranged to lie sideby side along one side of the second substrate and connected to thedriving IC, the first terminal being located closer to the center thanthe second terminal.

[0051] Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, inan electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a secondsubstrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has the feature ofcomprising an electro-optic layer supported between the first substrateand the second substrate; a first electrode formed on the firstsubstrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; a firstterminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and a plurality of driving ICs mounted on the secondsubstrate, the first electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer and an inter-substrateconducting terminal portion connected to the drive portion and the firstterminal, the second electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer and a second terminalconnected to the drive portion, the first and second terminals beingarranged to lie side by side along one side of the second substrate andconnected respectively to the corresponding driving ICs, the secondterminal being located on the outer side relative to the first terminal.

[0052] Still further, according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in an electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has thefeature of comprising an electro-optic layer supported between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; a first electrode formed on thefirst substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; afirst terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and a driving IC mounted on the second substrate, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer and a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, the first and second terminals being arranged to lie sideby side along one side of the second substrate and connected to thedriving IC, the second terminal being located on the outer side relativeto the first terminal, the second electrode being made of at least amaterial having lower electrical resistance than that of the firstelectrode.

[0053] Still further, according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in an electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has thefeature of comprising an electro-optic layer supported between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; a first electrode formed on thefirst substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; afirst terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; a driving IC mounted on the second substrate; and an extendedportion of the second substrate extending out of an edge of the firstsubstrate, the first electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer and an inter-substrateconducting terminal portion connected to the drive portion and the firstterminal, the second electrode including a drive portion for applying anelectric field to the electro-optic layer and a second terminalconnected to the drive portion, the first and second terminals beingdisposed in at least the extended portion, the first and secondterminals being arranged to lie side by side along one side of thesecond substrate and connected to the driving IC, the second terminalbeing located on the outer side relative to the first terminal.

[0054] Still further, according to another aspect of the presentinvention, in an electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, the device has thefeature of comprising an electro-optic layer supported between the firstsubstrate and the second substrate; a first electrode formed on thefirst substrate; a second electrode formed on the second substrate; afirst terminal formed on the second substrate and connected to the firstelectrode; and a driving IC mounted on the second substrate, the firstelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tothe electro-optic layer and an inter-substrate conducting terminalportion connected to the drive portion and the first terminal, thesecond electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to the electro-optic layer, a second terminal connected to thedrive portion, and a wiring portion for connecting the drive portion andthe second terminal, the first and second terminals being connected tothe driving IC, the wiring portion of the second electrode being locatedon the outer side relative to the first terminal in a direction alongone side of the second substrate.

[0055] In the electro-optic device of the present invention, the firstelectrode extending simply in the direction of length from one side ofthe first substrate, on which the driving IC is mounted, toward theother opposing side thereof is connected through electrical conductionbetween the first substrate and the second substrate. To the secondelectrode which is routed toward the outer side to bypass the firstelectrode and is extended in the direction of width, a signal isdirectly supplied from the driving IC through the same substrate as thaton which the driving IC is mounted. Therefore, there is no need ofutilizing the electrical conduction between both the substrates in aregion where patterns must be obliquely extended. Thus, in the regionwhere patterns must be obliquely extended, it is only necessary to formthe second electrode which can be formed with a reduced distance betweenthe patterns. Accordingly, the necessity of reducing the spacing betweenthe inter-substrate conducting terminal portions is eliminated even whenthe number of patterns is increased in the region where the patternsmust be obliquely extended. With the present invention, therefore,reliability in the region of the electrical conduction between both thesubstrates does not deteriorate even in cases where the number ofelectrodes is increased.

[0056] Also, the second electrode, which is subjected to such arestriction on electrode layout that patterns must be obliquelyextended, is formed of, e.g., a metallic film having smaller electricalresistance than an ITO film. With this feature, electricalcharacteristics are kept from deteriorating regardless of a reduction inthe line width of the wiring portion of the second electrode, which doesnot take part in constituting pixels. Accordingly, the present inventioncan prevent display quality from degrading due to deterioration of theelectrical characteristics even when the number of electrodes isincreased. Conversely speaking, given the number of patterns being thesame, the region of the second substrate, in which patterns must beobliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction. In the electro-optic device having the sameouter dimensions, it is possible to enlarge an image display area.Further, since the region of the second substrate, in which patternsmust be obliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction, it is possible to reduce the outer dimensionsof the electro-optic device having an image display area that is thesame size as in conventional devices. Additionally, the electro-opticdevice utilizing the COG mounting technique is more inexpensive thananother one utilizing the COF or TAB mounting technique, and has higherreliability in resistance to peeling-off because it includes noconnection to a flexible board such as a thin film or TAB carrier.

[0057] In the present invention, the electro-optic device may beconstructed such that the second terminal is located on both sides ofthe first terminal in the direction along the one side of the secondsubstrate, or that the second terminal is located on one side of thefirst terminal in the direction along the one side of the secondsubstrate.

[0058] In the present invention, the inter-substrate conducting terminalportion of the first electrode and the first terminal are electricallyconnected to each other by an electrically conducting material heldbetween the first substrate and the second substrate.

[0059] In the present invention, the electrically conducting materialcontains a resin held between the first substrate and the secondsubstrate, and conductive particles dispersed in the resin.

[0060] In the present invention, when the electro-optic device furthercomprises a sealing material disposed between the first substrate andthe second substrate so as to surround the electro-optic layer, theelectrically conducting material may include the sealing material andconductive particles dispersed in the sealing material.

[0061] In the present invention, when the second electrode includes awiring portion for connecting the drive portion and the second terminal,the wiring portion is located on the outer side relative to the firstterminal in the direction along the one side of the second substrate.

[0062] In the present invention, the inter-substrate conducting terminalportion of the first electrode may be connected to an end of the firstterminal, and the wiring portion of the second electrode may include azone arranged obliquely relative to the end of the first terminal.

[0063] In the present invention, the wiring portion of the secondelectrode may be arranged so as to bend around a lateral region of thefirst terminal.

[0064] In the present invention, when the first electrode is provided inplural number and the second electrode is provided in plural number, thenumber of the first electrodes is preferably larger than the number ofthe second electrodes.

[0065] In the present invention, preferably, an image data signal issupplied to the first electrode, and a scan signal is supplied to thesecond electrode.

[0066] In the present invention, the first electrode may be formed of atleast a transparent conductive film, and the second electrode may beformed of at least a metallic film.

[0067] In the present invention, the first electrode may be formed of atleast an ITO film, and the second electrode may be formed of at least amaterial selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silver, analuminum alloy, and a silver alloy.

[0068] In the present invention, the electro-optic layer is a liquidcrystal layer.

[0069] The electro-optic device according to the present invention isemployed as a display unit of an electronic apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electro-optic device accordingto Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0071]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the electro-optic deviceshown in FIG. 1.

[0072]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one end of the electro-optic device,shown in FIG. 1, on the side indicated by I′ when sectioned along lineI-I′ in FIG. 1.

[0073]FIG. 4 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, crossed portionsof electrodes in the electro-optic device shown in FIG. 1.

[0074]FIG. 5 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, first electrodesand terminals formed on a first transparent substrate of theelectro-optic device shown in FIG. 1.

[0075]FIG. 6 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, secondelectrodes and terminals formed on a second transparent substrate of theelectro-optic device shown in FIG. 1.

[0076]FIG. 7 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, the electrodesand the terminals in a state where the first transparent substrate shownin FIG. 5 and the second transparent substrate shown in FIG. 6 arebonded to each other.

[0077]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electro-optic device accordingto Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0078]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the electro-optic deviceshown in FIG. 8.

[0079]FIG. 10 is a plan view showing first electrodes and terminalsformed on a first transparent substrate of the electro-optic deviceshown in FIG. 8.

[0080]FIG. 11 is a plan view showing second electrodes and terminalsformed on a second transparent substrate of the electro-optic deviceshown in FIG. 8.

[0081]FIG. 12 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, the electrodesand the terminals in a state where the first transparent substrate shownin FIG. 10 and the second transparent substrate shown in FIG. 11 arebonded to each other.

[0082]FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the construction of anelectro-optic device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0083]FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view of the electro-opticdevice shown in FIG. 13.

[0084]FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the detailed construction of afirst transparent substrate used in the electro-optic device shown inFIG. 13.

[0085]FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the detailed construction of asecond transparent substrate used in the electro-optic device shown inFIG. 13.

[0086]FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a state where the first transparentsubstrate shown in FIG. 15 and the second transparent substrate shown inFIG. 16 are bonded to each other

[0087]FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the structure of an area around adriving IC in an electro-optic device according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

[0088]FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration ofan electronic apparatus employing the electro-optic device to which thepresent invention is applied.

[0089] FIGS. 20(A), 20(B) and 20(C) show external appearances ofelectronic apparatuses each employing the electro-optic device to whichthe present invention is applied.

[0090]FIG. 21 is a plan view of a conventional electro-optic device.

[0091]FIG. 22 is an explanatory view showing the structure forelectrical conduction between substrates.

[0092]FIG. 23 is a plan view of another conventional electro-opticdevice.

[0093]FIG. 24 is a perspective view of still another conventionalelectro-optic device.

[0094]FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the electro-opticdevice shown in FIG. 24.

[0095]FIG. 26 is a sectional view of one end of the electro-opticdevice, shown in FIG. 24, indicated by XIV′ when sectioned along lineXIV-XIV′ in FIG. 24.

[0096]FIG. 27 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, firstelectrodes and terminals formed on a first transparent substrate of theelectro-optic device shown in FIG. 24.

[0097]FIG. 28 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, secondelectrodes and terminals formed on a second transparent substrate of theelectro-optic device shown in FIG. 24.

[0098]FIG. 29 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale, the electrodesand the terminals in a state where the first transparent substrate shownin FIG. 27 and the second transparent substrate shown in FIG. 28 arebonded to each other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0099] Embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings.

[0100]FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively a perspective view and an explodedperspective view of an electro-optic device to which the presentinvention is applied. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of one end of theelectro-optic device on the side indicated by I′ when sectioned alongline I-I′ in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing, in enlarged scale,crossed portions of electrodes in the electro-optic device to which thepresent invention is applied. FIGS. 1 and 2 just schematically showelectrodes and terminals, details of which will be described withreference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. FIGS. 5 and 6 are plan views showingrespectively, in enlarged scale, first electrodes and terminals formedon a first transparent substrate and second electrodes and terminalsformed on a second transparent substrate of the electro-optic deviceshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing, in enlargedscale, the electrodes and the terminals in a state where the firsttransparent substrate shown in FIG. 5 and the second transparentsubstrate shown in FIG. 6 are bonded to each other. Note that, in thesedrawings and other ones described later, various layers and members aredepicted in different scales for allowing them to be recognized on thedrawings.

[0101] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an electro-optic device 1 of thisembodiment is a liquid crystal display device of passive matrix typeprovided in electronic apparatuses such as a cellular phone. A pair oftransparent substrates each being made of a rectangular glass, forexample, are bonded to each other by a sealing material 30 with apredetermined gap left therebetween, and a liquid crystal sealed-inspace 35 is defined by the sealing material 30 between both thesubstrates. A liquid crystal is sealed in the liquid crystal sealed-inspace 35. An inner area of the liquid crystal sealed-in space 35, inwhich later-described pixels are arrayed in a matrix pattern, serves asan image display area 2. In the following description, of the pair oftransparent substrates, one provided with plural columns of firstelectrodes 40 formed thereon to extend over the image display area 2 inthe direction of length is assumed to be a first transparent substrate10 (first substrate), and the other provided with plural rows of secondelectrodes 50 formed thereon to extend over the image display area 2 inthe direction of width is assumed to be a second transparent substrate20 (second substrate).

[0102] The electro-optic device 1 described herein is of thesemi-transmissive and semi-reflective type. A polarizing plate 61 isaffixed to an outer surface of the second transparent substrate 20, anda polarizing plate 62 is affixed to an outer surface of the firsttransparent substrate 10. Further, a backlight device 9 is disposedoutside the second transparent substrate 20.

[0103] On the first transparent substrate 10, as with Embodiment 1described above by referring to FIG. 3, sets of color filters 7R, 7G and7B of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) are formed in areas correspondingto points at which the first electrodes 40 intersect the secondelectrodes 50. An insulating flattening film 11, the first electrodes 40and an alignment film 12 are formed in this order on the surface side ofthe color filters 7R, 7G and 7B. On the second transparent substrate 20,the second electrodes 50 and an alignment film 22 are formed in thisorder.

[0104] In the electro-optic device 1, the first electrodes 40 are formedof an ITO film (transparent conductive film). On the other hand, thesecond electrodes 50 are formed of a metallic film (conductive film)capable of reflecting light, such as an aluminum film, an alloy filmmade of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film madeof primarily silver.

[0105] Also, in the electro-optic device 1 of this embodiment, as shownin FIG. 4, a plurality of narrow slit-like openings 510 are formed ineach of portions of the second electrodes 50 in which they intersect thefirst electrodes 40 within the image display area 2. The openings 510are not limited to the slit-like shape, but may be provided in the formof rectangular or circular windows.

[0106] In the electro-optic device 1 having the above-describedconstruction, since the second electrodes 50 formed on the secondtransparent substrate 20 are formed of a metallic film capable ofreflecting light, the light incident upon the first transparentsubstrate 10 is reflected by the second electrodes 50 and then exitsfrom the side of the first transparent substrate 10 after beingmodulated by the liquid crystal layer 4. Accordingly, the electro-opticdevice 1 of this embodiment functions in the first place as a reflectivedisplay device. Further, since the slit-like openings 510 are formed inthe second electrodes 50, the light emitted from the backlight device 9and entering the second transparent substrate 20 passes through theopenings 510 of the second electrodes 50 and then exits from the side ofthe first transparent substrate 10 after being modulated by the liquidcrystal layer 4. Accordingly, the electro-optic device 1 of thisembodiment further functions as a transmissive display device. Otherthan transparent conductive films such as an ITO film, the secondelectrodes 50 can be therefore formed of a metallic film having smallelectrical resistance, such as an aluminum film, an alloy film made ofprimarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film made ofprimarily silver, so long as it is a conductive film capable ofreflecting light. On the side of the second transparent substrate 20,therefore, wires and terminals (described later with reference to FIGS.5, 6 and 7), which are formed at the same time as the second electrodes50, can also be formed of a metallic film having small electricalresistance, such as an aluminum film, an alloy film made of primarilyaluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film made of primarilysilver, so that widths of their patterns are narrowed.

[0107] In the electro-optic device 1 of this embodiment, a ratio of thereflected light to the transmitted light can be changed by adjusting anopening percentage, e.g., the size of the slit-like openings 510. Sincethe electro-optic device 1 of this embodiment is of thesemi-transmissive and semi-reflective type, the backlight device 9 isdisposed on the rear side of the second transparent substrate 20 and theslit-like openings 510 are formed in the second electrodes 50 formed ofa metallic film. When the electro-optic device 1 of this embodiment isconstructed to be of the totally reflective type, the backlight device 9disposed on the rear side of the second transparent substrate 20 may beomitted and the slit-like openings 510 formed in the second electrodes50 are no longer needed. In this case, the second electrodes 50 arelikewise formed of a metallic film such as an aluminum film, an alloyfilm made of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy filmmade of primarily silver. Additionally, when the electro-optic device 1of this embodiment is constructed to be of the totally reflective type,the polarizing plate on the rear side of the substrate 20, which is anoptical member required for the electro-optic device 1 to function asthe transmissive type, is also no longer needed.

[0108] In the electro-optic device 1 constructed as described above,inputting of signals from the exterior and electrical conduction betweenboth the substrates are made using areas near respective single sides101, 201 of the first transparent substrate 10 and the secondtransparent substrate 20, which are located in the same direction.Accordingly, the second transparent substrate 20 is formed of asubstrate having a larger size than the first transparent substrate 10.When the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparentsubstrate 20 are bonded to each other, a portion of the secondtransparent substrate 20 is extended out of the side 101 of the firsttransparent substrate 10 to form an extended portion 25. A flexibleboard 90 (externally connecting board) including a driving IC 7 mountedthereon with the COF technology is connected by utilizing the extendedportion 25.

[0109] Also, an area of the second transparent substrate 20, on whichthe side 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 lies, is used toestablish the electrical conduction with the first transparent substrate10.

[0110] To realize such a construction for the electrical connection inthis embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the first electrodes 40formed on the first transparent substrate 10 comprise drive portions 41extending straight over the image display area 2 in the direction oflength, wiring portions 42 extending from the drive portions 41 toward acentral region of the side 101 in a converging pattern, andinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 constituted by ends ofthe wiring portions 42. The inter-substrate conducting terminal portions60 are formed to lie side by side at predetermined intervals along theside 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 in the central regionthereof. Herein, the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 areextended straight toward a side 102 of the first transparent substrate10 opposing to the side 101. Also, the wiring portions 42 are extendedfrom the side 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 toward theopposing side 102 while obliquely spreading to the left and right, andare then connected to the drive portions 41 extending over the imagedisplay area 2 in a direction perpendicular to the sides 101, 102 of thefirst transparent substrate 10. The first electrodes 40, including thedrive portions 41, the wiring portions 42 and the inter-substrateconducting terminal portions 60, are entirely formed of ITO films.

[0111] On the second transparent substrate 20, as shown in FIGS. 2 and6, first terminals 81 and second terminals 82 are formed along the side201 thereof over a relatively wide range except for opposite ends of theside 201. The first terminals 81 are formed in a widthwise central areaof the second transparent substrate 20 so as to lie side by side atpredetermined intervals along the side 201 thereof. The second terminals82 are formed in two opposite areas of the second transparent substrate20, which are located outside the widthwise central area including thefirst terminals 81, so as to lie side by side at predetermined intervalsalong the side 201 thereof. The first terminals 81 and the secondterminals 82 are each extended straight toward a side 202 (see FIG. 2)of the second transparent substrate 20 opposing to the side 201. Thefirst terminals 81 have ends 70 which are positioned to lie under theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 when the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 arebonded to each other.

[0112] The second terminals 82 are constituted to serve as ends of thesecond electrodes 50. More specifically, the second electrodes 50comprise drive portions 51 extending straight over the image displayarea 2 in the direction of width, wiring portions 52 leading from thedrive portions 51 and routed toward outer opposite regions of the side201 of the second transparent substrate 20, and the second terminals 82constituted by ends of the wiring portions 52. The wiring portions 52are formed to extend in opposite lateral areas corresponding to bothsides of the area, in which the first electrodes 40 are formed, when thefirst transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20are bonded to each other. The drive portions 51 are extended from thewiring portions 52 over the image display area 2 in a crossed relationto the first electrodes 40. Stated otherwise, the wiring portions 52 areobliquely extended to the left and right in the opposite lateral areascorresponding to both sides of the area in which the first electrodes 40are formed, and are then bent so as to extend straight along the imagedisplay area 2 toward the opposing side 202 of the second transparentsubstrate 20. Thereafter, the wiring portions 52 are connected to thedrive portions 51 extending parallel to the sides 201, 202 of the secondtransparent substrate 20 over the image display area 2.

[0113] As with the first terminals 81, the second electrodes 50 are eachformed of a metallic film which is formed in a predetermined pattern andis capable of reflecting light, such as an aluminum film, an alloy filmmade of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film madeof primarily silver.

[0114] Further, the number of lines of the first electrodes 40 is largerthan that of the second electrodes 50.

[0115] When constructing the electro-optic device 1 using the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 whichhave the above-described construction, in the step of bonding the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 throughthe sealing material 30, a gap material and conductive particles aremixed in the sealing material 30, and the sealing material 30 is furtherapplied to the area in which the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 60 and the ends 70 of the first terminals 81 are positioned tolie one above the other. Thus, the sealing material 30 functions also asa conductive material due to the conductive particles dispersed in anadhesive component that develops the sealing function. The conductiveparticles contained in the sealing material 30 are formed of, e.g.,elastically deformable plastic beads having plated surfaces, and have aparticle size slightly greater than that of the gap material which arealso contained in the sealing material 30. Therefore, by placing thefirst transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20one above the other and then melting and hardening the sealing material30 in this state while applying forces so as to narrow a gap betweenboth the substrates, the conductive particles are collapsed between thefirst transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20,whereby the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 and the ends70 of the first terminals 81 are electrically conducted with each other.

[0116] Further, as shown in FIG. 7, as a result of bonding the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 throughthe sealing material 30, pixels 5 are formed in a matrix pattern bypoints at which the first electrodes 40 intersect the second electrodes50. An area where the pixels 5 are formed in a matrix pattern definesthe image display area 2. Accordingly, by mounting the flexible board 90to the first terminals 81 and the second terminals 82 at the side 201 ofthe second transparent substrate 20 with the aid of an anisotropicconductive material or the like, and then inputting signals to the firstterminals 81 and the second terminals 82 of the second transparentsubstrate 20 through the flexible board 90, scan signals can be directlyapplied from the second terminals 82 to the second electrodes 50 formedon the second transparent substrate 20, and image data signals can beinputted to the first electrodes 40 formed on the first transparentsubstrate 10 through the first terminals 81, the conductive particlesand the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60. Since thealigned condition of the liquid crystal, which is situated between thefirst electrodes 40 and the second electrodes 50, is controlled inaccordance with the image data signals and the scan signals, a desiredimage can be displayed in the image display area 2.

[0117] Conventionally, as described before, signals are directlyinputted from the first terminals 81 to the first electrodes 40 havingthe drive portions 41 which are formed to extend in the direction oflength, and other signals are inputted to the second electrodes 50,which are routed toward the opposite lateral areas so as to bypass thefirst electrodes 40, through the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions extending obliquely. On the contrary, in this embodiment,signals are directly inputted from the second terminals 82 to the secondelectrodes 50 which are routed toward the opposite lateral areas so asto bypass the first electrodes 40.

[0118] As will be seen from the comparison between FIG. 7 and FIG. 29,in the second electrodes 50 to which scan signals are supplied, thewiring portions can be shortened and hence the electrical resistance canbe reduced because the electrical conduction between both the substratesis not utilized. Therefore, image quality can be effectively improved ascompared with the case of reducing the electrical resistance of thefirst electrodes 40 to which the image data signals are supplied.

[0119] In other words, with this embodiment, since the wire resistanceof the second electrodes 50 serving as scan lines is reduced down to asmaller value than in the conventional construction, dulling of the scansignals can be suppressed to improve display quality. Display quality ismore greatly affected by the wire resistance of the second electrodes 50serving as common lines than by the wire resistance of the firstelectrodes 40 serving as segment lines. Accordingly, a reduction in thewire resistance of the second electrodes 50 in this embodiment providesa noticeable improvement of the display quality.

[0120] Further, the electrical conduction between both the substrates isno longer needed on the second transparent substrate 20 in its area inwhich patterns are necessarily obliquely extended (i.e., in its region(having a region width indicated by arrow A) where patterns must beobliquely formed between a corner portion of an innermost pattern of thesecond electrodes 50, which is bent near a corresponding corner of theimage display area, and a corner portion of an outermost pattern of thesecond electrodes 50). In such an area in which patterns are necessarilyobliquely extended, it is only necessary to arrange the wiring portions52 of the second electrodes 50 which can be formed with a reduceddistance between their patterns.

[0121] Accordingly, the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60for establishing the electrical conduction between both the substrates,and the ends 70 of the first terminals 81 can be formed straight. Then,in the wiring portions 52 of the second electrodes 50, straight zones501 can be formed with lengths differing to a relatively small extentbetween patterns adjacent to each other, and then obliquely bent so asto form inclined zones 502 of the second electrodes 50 at smallerintervals therebetween. As will be seen from FIG. 6, therefore, an angleβ formed by a line F connecting the boundaries between the straightzones 501 and the inclined zones 502 of the second electrodes 50 withrespect to the side 201 of the second transparent substrate 20 isrelatively small. Correspondingly, a larger number of patterns can beformed even in the region where a greater restriction is imposed onpattern layout. As a result, there is no need of narrowing the spacingbetween adjacent two of the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions60 and the spacing between adjacent two of the first terminals 81 evenin the case of increasing the number of patterns to be formed in theregion where a greater restriction is imposed on pattern layout.

[0122] With this embodiment, therefore, in the electro-optic device 1 ofa type that permits signals to be inputted from one substrate (secondtransparent substrate 20) to the other substrate (first transparentsubstrate 10) using the sealing material 30 (electrically conductingmaterial) held between both the substrates, reliability of theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions does not deteriorate evenin the case where the number of electrodes is increased.

[0123] Also, with this embodiment, the second electrodes 50, which aresubjected to such a restriction on electrode layout that patterns mustbe obliquely extended, are formed of a metallic film having smallerelectrical resistance than an ITO film, such as an aluminum film, analloy film made of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloyfilm made of primarily silver. Electrical characteristics are thereforekept from deteriorating regardless of a reduction in the line width ofthe wiring portions 52 of the second electrodes 50, which do not takepart in constituting the pixels. Accordingly, this embodiment canprevent display quality from degrading due to deterioration of theelectrical characteristics even when the number of the second electrodes50 is increased by narrowing the line width of the wiring portions 52 ofthe second electrodes 50.

[0124] Conversely speaking, given the number of patterns being the same,the region of the second transparent substrate 20, in which patternsmust be obliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction. In the electro-optic device 1 having the sameouter dimensions, it is possible to enlarge the image display area 2.Further, since the region of the second transparent substrate 20, inwhich patterns must be obliquely extended, can be made narrower thanrequired in the conventional construction, it is possible to reduce theouter dimensions of the electro-optic device 1 having the image displayarea 2 that is the same size as in conventional devices.

[0125] In Embodiment 1 described above, the second terminals 82 areformed on both sides of the first terminals 81 in the direction of widthof the second transparent substrate 20. However, the terminalarrangement may be modified such that the second terminals 82 may beformed on one side of the first terminals 81 in the direction of widthof the second transparent substrate 20, and the second electrodes 50 maybe extended from that one side to the image display area 2.

[0126] In the electro-optic device 1, a driving IC is often mounted onthe substrate by the COG technique. In this case, signals are inputtedto the driving IC from the exterior, and image data signals and scansignals are outputted from the driving IC to respective electrodes. Anembodiment in which the present invention is applied to that type ofelectro-optic device will be described below with reference to FIGS. 8,9, 10, 11 and 12. Note that since the electro-optic device of thisembodiment is of the same basic construction as that of Embodiment 1,components having the common functions are denoted by the same referencenumerals and omitted from the following description.

[0127]FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively a perspective view and an explodedperspective view of the electro-optic device of this embodiment. FIGS. 8and 9 just schematically show electrodes and terminals, details of whichwill be described with reference to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. FIGS. 10 and 11are plan views showing respectively, in enlarged scale, first electrodesand terminals formed on a first transparent substrate and secondelectrodes and terminals formed on a second transparent substrate of theelectro-optic device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 12 is a plan viewshowing, in enlarged scale, the electrodes and the terminals in a statewhere the first transparent substrate shown in FIG. 10 and the secondtransparent substrate shown in FIG. 11 are bonded to each other.Incidentally, since a section of the electro-optic device of thisembodiment and crossed portions of electrodes in the electro-opticdevice are represented similarly to FIGS. 3 and 4 which have beenreferred to the above description of Embodiment 1, they will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0128] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, in an electro-optic device 1 of thisembodiment, as with above Embodiment 1, a pair of transparent substrateseach being made of a rectangular glass, for example, are bonded to eachother by a sealing material 30 with a predetermined gap lefttherebetween. A liquid crystal sealed-in space 35 is defined by thesealing material 30 between both the substrates, and a liquid crystal issealed in the liquid crystal sealed-in space 35. Also in the followingdescription, of the pair of transparent substrates, one provided withplural columns of first electrodes 40 formed thereon to extend over animage display area 2 in the direction of length is assumed to be a firsttransparent substrate 10, and the other provided with plural rows ofsecond electrodes 50 formed thereon to extend over the image displayarea 2 in the direction of width is assumed to be a second transparentsubstrate 20.

[0129] In the electro-optic device 1 described herein, as with aboveEmbodiment 1, a polarizing plate 61 is affixed to an outer surface ofthe second transparent substrate 20, and a polarizing plate 62 isaffixed to an outer surface of the first transparent substrate 10.Further, a backlight device 9 is disposed outside the second transparentsubstrate 20.

[0130] On the first transparent substrate 10, as described above inconnection with Embodiment 1 by referring to FIG. 3, sets of colorfilters 7R, 7G and 7B of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) are formed inareas corresponding to points at which the first electrodes 40 intersectthe second electrodes 50. An insulating flattening film 11, the firstelectrodes 40 and an alignment film 12 are formed in this order on thesurface side of the color filters 7R, 7G and 7B. On the secondtransparent substrate 20, the second electrodes 50 and an alignment film22 are formed in this order.

[0131] In the electro-optic device 1, the first electrodes 40 are formedof an ITO film (transparent conductive film). On the other hand, thesecond electrodes 50 are formed of a metallic film (conductive film)capable of reflecting light, such as an aluminum film, an alloy filmmade of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film madeof primarily silver.

[0132] The number of lines of the first electrodes 40 is larger thanthat of the second electrodes 50.

[0133] Also in this embodiment, as described above in connection withEmbodiment 1 by referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of narrow slit-likeopenings 510 are formed in each of portions of the second electrodes 50in which they intersect the first electrodes 40 within the image displayarea 2. In the electro-optic device 1 of this embodiment, therefore,data can be displayed in a transmissive mode and a semi-transmissive,semi-reflective mode. Other than transparent conductive films such as anITO film, the second electrodes 50 can be therefore formed of a metallicfilm having small electrical resistance, such as an aluminum film, analloy film made of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloyfilm made of primarily silver, so long as it is a conductive filmcapable of reflecting light. On the side of the second transparentsubstrate 20, therefore, wires and terminals (described later withreference to FIGS. 10, 11 and 12), which are formed at the same time asthe second electrodes 50, can also be formed of a metallic film havingsmall electrical resistance, such as an aluminum film, an alloy filmmade of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film madeof primarily silver, so that widths of their patterns are narrowed.

[0134] In the electro-optic device 1 constructed as described above,inputting of signals from the exterior and electrical conduction betweenboth the substrates are made using areas near respective single sides101, 201 of the first transparent substrate 10 and the secondtransparent substrate 20, which are located in the same direction.Accordingly, the second transparent substrate 20 is formed of asubstrate having a larger size than the first transparent substrate 10.When the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparentsubstrate 20 are bonded to each other, a portion of the secondtransparent substrate 20 is extended out of the side 101 of the firsttransparent substrate 10 to form an extended portion 25. By utilizingthe extended portion 25, a driving IC 7 is mounted with the COFtechnology and a flexible board 90 (externally connecting board) isconnected.

[0135] Also, an area of the second transparent substrate 20, on whichthe side 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 lies, is used toestablish the electrical conduction with the first transparent substrate10.

[0136] To realize such a construction for the electrical connection inthis embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the first electrodes 40formed on the first transparent substrate 10 comprise, as withEmbodiment 1, drive portions 41 extending straight over the imagedisplay area 2 in the direction of length, wiring portions 42 extendingfrom the drive portions 41 toward a central region of the side 101 in aconverging pattern, and inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60constituted by ends of the wiring portions 42. The inter-substrateconducting terminal portions 60 are formed to lie side by side atpredetermined intervals along the side 101 of the first transparentsubstrate 10 in the central region thereof.

[0137] Herein, the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 areextended straight toward a side 102 of the first transparent substrate10 opposing to the side 101. Also, the wiring portions 42 are extendedfrom the side 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 toward theopposing side 102 while obliquely spreading to the left and right, andare then connected to the drive portions 41 extending over the imagedisplay area 2 in a direction perpendicular to the sides 101, 102 of thefirst transparent substrate 10. The first electrodes 40, including thedrive portions 41, the wiring portions 42 and the inter-substrateconducting terminal portions 60, are entirely formed of ITO films.

[0138] On the second transparent substrate 20, as shown in FIGS. 9 and11, first terminals 81 and second terminals 82 are formed along the side201 thereof over a relatively wide range except for opposite ends of theside 201. The first terminals 81 are formed in a widthwise central areaof the second transparent substrate 20 so as to lie side by side atpredetermined intervals along the side 201 thereof. The second terminals82 are formed in two opposite areas of the second transparent substrate20, which are located outside the widthwise central area including thefirst terminals 81, so as to lie side by side at predetermined intervalsalong the side 201 thereof. The first terminals 81 and the secondterminals 82 are each extended straight toward a side 202 (see FIG. 2)of the second transparent substrate 20 opposing to the side 201.

[0139] The first terminals 81 have one ends 70 which are positioned tolie under the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 when thefirst transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20are bonded to each other. Thus, the one ends 70 of the first terminals81 are used for establishing the electrical conduction between both thesubstrates, the other ends 75 thereof are used for mounting the drivingIC 7 in an IC mounting area 8.

[0140] The second terminals 82 are constituted to serve as ends of thesecond electrodes 50. More specifically, the second electrodes 50comprise drive portions 51 extending in a width-wise direction straightover the image display area 2, wiring portions 52 leading from the driveportions 51 and routed toward outer opposite regions of the side 201 ofthe second transparent substrate 20, and the second terminals 82constituted by ends of the wiring portions 52. The wiring portions 52are routed so that they go around areas corresponding to both sides ofthe area, in which the first electrodes 40 are formed, when the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 arebonded to each other. The drive portions 51 are extended from the wiringportions 52 over the image display area 2 in a crossed relation to thefirst electrodes 40. Stated otherwise, the wiring portions 52 areobliquely extended to the left and right toward the opposite lateralareas corresponding to both sides of the area in which the firstelectrodes 40 are formed, and are then bent so as to extend straightalong the image display area 2 toward the opposing side 202 of thesecond transparent substrate 20. Thereafter, the wiring portions 52 areconnected to the drive portions 51 extending parallel to the sides 201,202 of the second transparent substrate 20 over the image display area2.

[0141] As with the first terminals 81, the second electrodes 50 are eachformed of a metallic film which is formed in a predetermined pattern andis capable of reflecting light, such as an aluminum film, an alloy filmmade of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or a silver alloy film madeof primarily silver.

[0142] Further, the number of lines of the first electrodes 40 is largerthan that of the second electrodes 50.

[0143] Moreover, on the second transparent substrate 20, a plurality ofexternal input terminals 80 are formed to lie side by side atpredetermined intervals along the side 201 thereof. The external inputterminals 80 are each extended straight toward the side 202 of thesecond transparent substrate 20 opposing to the side 201 (toward theimage display area 2; see FIG. 9). One ends of the external inputterminals 80 are used for connection of the flexible board 90, and theother ends of the external input terminals 80, which are positioned inthe IC mounting area 8, are used for mounting the driving IC 7.

[0144] When constructing the electro-optic device 1 of this embodimentusing the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparentsubstrate 20 which have the above-described construction, as withEmbodiment 1, in the step of bonding the first transparent substrate 10and the second transparent substrate 20 through the sealing material 30,a gap material and conductive particles are mixed in the sealingmaterial 30, and the sealing material 30 is further applied to the areain which the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 and theends 70 of the first terminals 81 are positioned to lie one above theother. Therefore, by placing the first transparent substrate 10 and thesecond transparent substrate 20 one above the other and then melting andhardening the sealing material 30 in this state while applying forces soas to narrow a gap between both the substrates, the conductive particlescontained in the sealing material 30 are collapsed between the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20,whereby the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 and the ends70 of the first terminals 81 are electrically conducted with each other.

[0145] Further, as shown in FIG. 12, as a result of bonding the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 throughthe sealing material 30, pixels 5 are formed in a matrix pattern bypoints at which the first electrodes 40 intersect the second electrodes50. An area where the pixels 5 are formed in a matrix pattern definesthe image display area 2. Accordingly, by mounting the flexible board 90to the one ends of the external input terminals 80 with the aid of ananisotropic conductive material or the like and mounting the driving IC7 to the other ends of the external input terminals 80 and the otherends 75 of the first terminals 71 with the aid of an anisotropicconductive material or the like at the side 201 of the secondtransparent substrate 20, and then supplying signals to the driving IC 7through the flexible board 90, scan signals are directly applied fromthe driving IC 7 to the second electrodes 50 formed on the secondtransparent substrate 20 just through the second terminals 82, and imagedata signals are inputted to the first electrodes 40 formed on the firsttransparent substrate 10 through the first terminals 81, the conductiveparticles and the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60. Sincethe aligned condition of the liquid crystal, which is situated betweenthe first electrodes 40 and the second electrodes 50, is controlled inaccordance with the image data signals and the scan signals, a desiredimage can be displayed in the image display area 2.

[0146] Conventionally, as described before, signals outputted from thedriving IC are directly inputted from the first terminals 81 to thefirst electrodes 40 having the drive portions 41 which are formed toextend in the direction of length, and other signals are inputted to thesecond electrodes 50, which are routed toward the opposite lateral areasso as to bypass the first electrodes 40, through the inter-substrateconducting terminal portions extending obliquely. On the contrary, inthis embodiment, signals outputted from the driving IC 7 are directlyinputted from the second terminals 82 to the second electrodes 50 whichare routed toward the opposite lateral areas so as to bypass the firstelectrodes 40.

[0147] Because the electrical conduction between both the substrates isnot utilized in the second electrodes 50 to which scan signals aresupplied, the wiring portions can be shortened and hence the electricalresistance can be reduced. Therefore, image quality can be effectivelyimproved as compared with the case of reducing the electrical resistanceof the first electrodes 40 to which the image data signals are supplied.

[0148] In other words, with this embodiment, since the wire resistanceof the second electrodes 50 serving as scan lines is reduced down to asmaller value than in the conventional construction, dulling of the scansignals can be suppressed to improve display quality. Display quality ismore greatly affected by the wire resistance of the second electrodes 50serving as common lines than by the wire resistance of the firstelectrodes 40 serving as segment lines. Accordingly, a reduction in thewire resistance of the second electrodes 50 in this embodiment providesa noticeable improvement of the display quality.

[0149] Further, the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 forestablishing the electrical conduction between both the substrates, andthe first terminals 81 can be formed straight. Therefore, the electricalconduction between both the substrates is no longer needed in an area ofthe second transparent substrate 20 in which patterns are necessarilyobliquely extended (i.e., in its region (having a region width indicatedby arrow A) where patterns must be obliquely formed between a cornerportion of an innermost pattern of the second electrodes 50, which isbent near a corresponding corner of the image display area, and a cornerportion of an outermost pattern of the second electrodes 50). In such anarea in which patterns are necessarily obliquely extended, it is onlynecessary to arrange the wiring portions 52 of the second electrodes 50which can be formed with a reduced distance between their patterns.

[0150] Accordingly, in the second electrodes 50, straight zones 501 canbe formed with lengths differing to a relatively small extent betweenpatterns adjacent to each other, and then obliquely bent so as to forminclined zones 502 of the second electrodes 50 at smaller intervalstherebetween. As will be seen from FIG. 11, therefore, an angle β formedby a line F connecting the boundaries between the straight zones 501 andthe inclined zones 502 of the second electrodes 50 with respect to theside 201 of the second transparent substrate 20 is relatively small.Correspondingly, a larger number of patterns can be formed even in theregion where a greater restriction is imposed on pattern layout. As aresult, there is no need of narrowing the spacing between adjacent twoof the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 and the spacingbetween adjacent two of the first terminals 81 even in the case ofincreasing the number of patterns to be formed in the region where agreater restriction is imposed on pattern layout.

[0151] With this embodiment, therefore, in the electro-optic device 1 ofa type that permits signals to be inputted from one substrate (secondtransparent substrate 20) to the other substrate (first transparentsubstrate 10) using an electrically conducting material held betweenboth the substrates, reliability in the electrically conducted portionsbetween both the substrates does not deteriorated even in the case wherethe number of electrodes is increased.

[0152] Also, with this embodiment, the second electrodes 50, which aresubjected to such a restriction on electrode layout that requirespatterns to be obliquely extended, are formed of a metallic film havingsmaller electrical resistance than an ITO film, such as an aluminumfilm, an alloy film made of primarily aluminum, a silver film, or asilver alloy film made of primarily silver. Electrical characteristicsare therefore kept from deteriorating regardless of a reduction in theline width of the wiring portions 52 of the second electrodes 50, whichdo not take part in constituting the pixels. Accordingly, thisembodiment can prevent display quality from degrading due todeterioration of the electrical characteristics even when the number ofthe second electrodes 50 is increased by narrowing the line width of thewiring portions 52 of the second electrodes 50.

[0153] Conversely speaking, given the number of patterns being the same,the region of the second transparent substrate 20, in which patternsmust be obliquely extended, can be made narrower than required in theconventional construction. In the electro-optic device 1 having the sameouter dimensions, it is possible to enlarge the image display area 2.Further, since the region of the second transparent substrate 20, inwhich patterns must be obliquely extended, can be made narrower thanrequired in the conventional construction, it is possible to reduce theouter dimensions of the electro-optic device 1 having the image displayarea 2 that is the same size as in conventional devices.

[0154] In Embodiment 2 described above, the second electrodes 50comprises the drive portions 51 extending straight over the imagedisplay area 2, and the wiring portions 52 routed from the driveportions 51 up to the area in which the driving IC 7 is mounted, thewiring portions 52 being formed on both outer sides of the firstterminals 81 in the direction of width of the second transparentsubstrate 20. However, the terminal arrangement may be modified suchthat the second electrodes 50 may be routed from the area, in which thedriving IC 7 is mounted, to pass through only one side outward of thefirst terminals 81 in the direction of width of the second transparentsubstrate 20, and may be then extended from that one side to the imagedisplay area 2.

[0155]FIGS. 13 and 14 are respectively a perspective view showing theconstruction of an electro-optic device 1 according to Embodiment 3 ofthe present invention, and an exploded perspective view of theelectro-optic device 1.

[0156] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the electro-optic device 1 of thisembodiment comprises a first transparent substrate 10 and a secondtransparent substrate 20 arranged in an opposed relation, a sealingmember 30 applied in the form of a rectangular frame for bonding boththe substrates to each other, and a liquid crystal layer 4 sealed in aliquid crystal sealed-in space 35 surrounded by the first transparentsubstrate 10, the second transparent substrate 20, and the sealingmember 30. Of the liquid crystal sealed-in space 35, an area in whichlater-described pixels are arrayed in a matrix pattern serves as animage display area 2.

[0157] The first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparentsubstrate 20 are each a plate-like member made of quartz, glass, plasticor the like. A plurality of electrodes for applying an electric field tothe liquid layer 4 are formed on an inner surface (facing the liquidlayer 4) of each substrate. More specifically, drive portions 41 of aplurality of first electrodes 40 are formed in a striped pattern on theinner surface of the first transparent substrate 10, whereas a pluralityof second electrodes 50 having drive portions 51, which are extendedperpendicularly to the first electrodes 40 in the image display area 2,are formed on the inner surface of the first transparent substrate 10.Also, inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 constituted byends of wiring portions 42 of the first electrodes 40 are formed on thefirst transparent substrate 10, whereas second terminals 82 are formedon the second transparent substrate 20. Ends 70 of the second terminals82 are electrically connected to the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 60 through conductive particles contained in the sealing member30. In this embodiment, the first electrodes 40 and the secondelectrodes 50 are transparent electrodes formed of, e.g., an ITO film.Additionally, in this embodiment, the number of lines of the firstelectrodes 40 is larger than that of the second electrodes 50. The firstterminals 81 correspond to the first electrodes 40 in a one-to-onerelation and are formed in the same number as the first electrodes 40.

[0158] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the second transparent substrate 20has a greater size (length) than the first transparent substrate 10 inone direction. In a state of both the substrates being bonded to eachother, therefore, a portion of the second transparent substrate 20 isextended out of one edge (indicated by A in FIG. 14) of the firsttransparent substrate 10. A first driving IC 7′ for supplying image datasignals to the plurality of first electrodes 40 by utilizing theelectrical conduction between both the substrates is mounted near thecenter of an extended portion 25 of the second transparent substrate 20as viewed in the X-axis direction indicated in FIG. 14. On the otherhand, a second driving IC 7″ for supplying scan signals to the pluralityof second electrodes 50 is disposed near one end of the extended portion25 (on the negative side in the X-axis direction in FIG. 14). Further,external input terminals 80 connected to input terminals of the drivingICs 7, 7″ are formed on the extended portion 25 so that image signalsoutputted from an external device are supplied to the driving ICs 7, 7″through the external input terminals 80.

[0159] The surface of the first transparent substrate 10 having theplurality of first electrodes 40 formed thereon and the surface of thesecond transparent substrate 20 having the plurality of secondelectrodes 50 formed thereon are each covered by an alignment film (notshown). The alignment film is prepared by carrying out a uniaxiallyaligning process, e.g., a rubbing process, on an organic thin film ofpolyimide or the like. When no electric field is applied, a liquidcrystal sealed between both the substrates is aligned corresponding tothe rubbing direction of the alignment film. Furthermore, polarizingplates (not shown) are affixed to outer surfaces of the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20. Apolarizing axis of each polarizing plate is set in accordance with thealigning direction of the alignment film covering the inner surface ofeach substrate.

[0160] The sealing material 30 is made of a thermosetting epoxy resin,for example, and is mixed with a spacer material for holding a gapbetween the first transparent substrate 10 and the second transparentsubstrate 20 at a constant thickness. A liquid crystal pouring port 33is provided in the frame of the applied sealing material 30 for pouringthe liquid crystal through it. The liquid crystal pouring port 33 isclosed by an adhesive after the liquid crystal has been poured into thespace surrounded by the first transparent substrate 10, the secondtransparent substrate 20 and the sealing material 3 to form the liquidcrystal layer 4.

[0161] Conductive particles are also mixed in the sealing material 30 inaddition to the spacer material. The conductive particles are formed of,e.g., elastically deformable plastic beads having plated surfaces.Though described above in detail, the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 60 formed on the first transparent substrate 10 andthe ends 70 of the first terminals 81 formed on the second transparentsubstrate 20 are electrically conducted with each other through theconductive particles.

[0162] The detailed construction of electrodes formed on the firsttransparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20 will bedescribed below with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16.

[0163] First, FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the detailed constructionof a surface of the first transparent substrate 10 on the side facingthe liquid crystal layer 4. As shown in FIG. 15, the first electrodes 40are formed on the surface of the first transparent substrate 10 facingthe liquid crystal layer 4. The first electrodes 40 comprise theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 formed in an area of thefirst transparent substrate 10 adjacent to a side 101 thereof to extendin a direction parallel to the Y-axis indicated in the drawing, wiringportions 42 extended from the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 60 up to the image display area, and drive portions 41extending straight over the image display area parallel to the Y-axis. Awidth covered by the inter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 issmaller than that covered by the drive portions 41. Looking theplurality of first electrodes 40 as a whole, they are converged toward acentral region of the side 101 of the first transparent substrate 10 inthe vicinity of the side 101.

[0164] Next, FIG. 16 is a plan view showing the detailed construction ofa surface of the second transparent substrate 20 on the side facing theliquid crystal layer 4.

[0165] As shown in FIG. 16, the second electrodes 50 and the firstterminals 81 are formed on the surface of the second transparentsubstrate 20 facing the liquid crystal layer 4.

[0166] One ends 70 of the first terminals 81, which are located in anarea of the second transparent substrate 20 lying under the firsttransparent substrate 10 on the side near the extended portion 25, areformed in positions aligned with the inter-substrate conducting terminalportions 60 of the first transparent substrate 10, and the other ends 75of the first terminals 81 are used for mounting the driving IC 7′. Theone ends 70 of the first terminals 81 are extended straight toward theimage display area parallel to one another in a nearly central area ofthe extended portion 25 in the X-axis direction (i.e., in the directionof width of the second transparent substrate 20). The other ends 75 ofthe first terminals 81 are also formed in a nearly central area of theextended portion 25 in the direction of width of the second transparentsubstrate 20 (i.e., in the X-axis direction).

[0167] On the other hand, the second electrodes 50 each comprise driveportions 51 extending straight over the image display area parallel tothe X-axis, wiring portions 52, and second terminals 82 constituted byends of the wiring portions 52. The second terminals 82 are used formounting the driving IC 7″. The wiring portions 52 are formed so as toextend from one ends of the drive portions 51, on the negative side inthe X-axis direction, along one side of the second transparent substrate20 and then reach the second terminals 82. Further, the second terminals82 are formed in one end area of the extended portion 25 in thedirection of width of the second transparent substrate 20 (i.e., in theX-axis direction).

[0168]FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the detailed electrode arrangement,looking from the side of the first transparent substrate 10, when thefirst transparent substrate 10 and the second transparent substrate 20are bonded to each other with the sealing material 30 applied betweenboth the substrates such that the electrodes formed on the substratesurfaces face each other.

[0169] As will be seen from FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, in the state of boththe substrates being bonded to each other, the inter-substrateconducting terminal portions 60 formed on the first transparentsubstrate 10 and the ends 70 of the first terminals 81 formed on thesecond transparent substrate 20 are positioned to face each otherthrough the sealing material 30. Then, the inter-substrate conductingterminal portions 60 and the ends 70 of the first terminals 81 areelectrically conducted with each other by the conductive particles mixedin the sealing material 30. As a result, corresponding ones of the firstelectrodes 40 and the first terminals 81 are electrically conducted witheach other to form an integral data electrode. Looking these dataelectrodes as a whole, they are converged from the side of the firsttransparent substrate 10 toward a nearly central area of the extendedportion 25 of the second transparent substrate 20.

[0170] Also, in the state of the first transparent substrate 10 and thesecond transparent substrate 20 being bonded to each other, the driveportions 41 of the first electrodes 40 and the drive portions 51 of thesecond electrodes 50 cross each other, pixels are formed at crossedpoints between both the electrodes, and the image display area isconstituted by an area in which those pixels are arrayed in a matrixpattern.

[0171] With this embodiment, as described above, since the driving ICs7, 7″ are both disposed on the extended portion 25 of the secondtransparent substrate 20, the size of the electro-optic device 1 can bereduced in comparison with that of the conventional device describedbefore with reference to FIG. 21. Further, since image data signals andscan signals are outputted from the separate driving ICs 7′, 7″, theelectrodes can be more easily formed than the case of employing onedriving IC 7.

[0172] Also, in this embodiment, since the first electrodes 40 convergetoward the central area of the extended portion 25 and connected tooutput terminals of the driving IC 7 which is also disposed near thecentral area of the extended portion 25, the following advantage isobtained.

[0173] If the first electrodes 40 converge toward a right end area ofthe extended portion 25 (on the positive side in the X-axis direction),an angle formed between the direction in which the wiring portions 42are extended and the negative direction of the X-axis (corresponding toan angle γ indicated in FIG. 16) is smaller than that in the arrangementshown in FIG. 17, and a width of each wiring portion 42 must be narrowedin comparison with that in the arrangement shown in FIG. 17. Thisnarrowing of the electrode width raises the problem that a disconnectionof each electrode, a short-circuiting between adjacent electrodes, andother troubles are more likely to occur. By contrast, in thisembodiment, since the first electrodes 40 converge toward the centralarea of the extended portion 25, the angle γ is not so small.Accordingly, the width of each wiring portion 42 is kept not so narrowas that in the case where the first electrodes 40 converge toward theend area of the extended portion 25, and hence the above-mentionedproblem can be avoided.

[0174] Further, in this embodiment, of the first electrodes 40 and thesecond electrodes 50, the first electrodes 40 have a larger number oflines and converge toward the central area of the extended portion 25,thus the following advantage can be obtained. If the electrodes whichhave a smaller number of lines converge toward the central area of theextended portion 25, then it will be necessary to form the otherelectrodes having a larger number of lines so as to bypass the area inwhich the aforementioned electrodes have been formed. By contrast, inthis embodiment, since the electrodes having a larger number of linesconverge toward the central area of the extended portion 25, it ispossible to form those electrodes on the substrate firstand then formthe other electrodes having a smaller number of lines so as to bypassthe area in which the former electrodes have been formed. In comparisonwith the above-assumed case, therefore, restrictions imposed on theformation of the electrodes can be reduced.

[0175] Moreover, in this embodiment, data electrodes that convergetoward the central area of the extended portion 25 are formed aselectrodes divided into 2 groups, one for the first transparentsubstrate 10 and the other for the second transparent substrate 20, thedivided electrodes being electrically conducted with each other throughthe conductive particles contained in the sealing material 30. By thusestablishing the electrical conduction between both the substrates forconnection of the electrodes that converge toward the central area ofthe extended portion 25, the following advantage can be obtained. Whenthe electrodes having a larger number of lines that converge toward thecentral area of the extended portion 25 as described above, thoseelectrodes can be formed prior to forming the other electrodes having asmaller number of lines. Accordingly, it can be assured that theinter-substrate conducting terminal portions 60 of the first electrodes40 and the ends 70 of the first terminals 82 will have the necessary andsufficient shapes (including widths, intervals, etc.)to establishelectrical connections therebetween through a conductive material.

[0176] This embodiment has been described, by way of example, inconnection with the electro-optic device 1 wherein the electrodes towhich image data signals are supplied have a larger number of lines thanthe electrodes to which scan signals are supplied. However, the presentinvention is also applicable to an electro-optic device wherein theelectrodes to which scan signals are supplied have a larger number oflines than the electrodes to which image data signals are supplied. Inthis case, the electrodes having a larger number of lines likewiseconverge toward the central area of the extended portion 25 of thesecond transparent substrate 20.

[0177] While signals are outputted from only one side of the driving IC7 in above-described Embodiments 2 and 3, the signals may be outputtedfrom three sides of the driving IC 7, by way of example, as shown inFIG. 18.

[0178] In Embodiment 1, the first electrodes 40 and the secondelectrodes 50 are each constructed such that image data signals or scansignals are applied through external input terminals from an externallymounted driving IC. In Embodiments 2 and 3, the first electrodes 40 andthe second electrodes 50 are each constructed such that image datasignals or scan signals are applied from a driving IC mounted by the COGtechnique. However, Embodiments 1 and 2 may be combined with each otherso long as the first electrodes 40 are constructed to input signals byutilizing the electrical conduction between both the substrates. Morespecifically, one of either the first electrodes 40 or the secondelectrodes 50 may be constructed such that image data signals or scansignals are applied through external input terminals from an externallymounted driving IC, and the other of the first electrodes 40 and thesecond electrodes 50 may be constructed such that image data signals orscan signals are applied from a driving IC mounted on the substrate bythe COG technique.

[0179] Further, while Embodiment 1 is constructed such that the flexibleboard 90 is connected to the external input terminals 80, another typeof circuit board may be connected to the terminals 80 through a rubberconnector or the like.

[0180] Additionally, the above-describedsemi-reflective/semi-transmissive type construction in combination ofthe reflective type and the transmissive type can be applied to not onlya passive matrix electro-optic device, but also an active matrixelectro-optic device.

[0181] A description will now be made of the case where theelectro-optic device 1 according to each of the above-describedembodiments is employed as a display device of various electronicapparatuses. In such an application, as shown in FIG. 19 by way ofexample, an electronic apparatus 300 comprises a display informationoutput source 301, a display information processing circuit 302, a powersupply circuit 303, a timing generator 304, and the electro-optic device1 described above.

[0182] The display information output source 301 includes a memory suchas a ROM or RAM, a storage unit such as any of various disks, a tuningcircuit for tuning and outputting a digital image signal, etc. Inaccordance with various clock signals outputted from a timing generator304, the display information output source 301 outputs displayinformation, such as an image signal in a predetermined format, to thedisplay information processing circuit 302. The display informationprocessing circuit 302 includes various known circuits such as anamplifying/inverting circuit, a rotation circuit, a gamma correctioncircuit, and a clamping circuit. The display information processingcircuit 302 executes processing of the display information supplied toit, and supplies a resultant image signal to a drive circuit of theelectro-optic device 1 along with the clock signal. Further, the powersupply circuit 303 supplies predetermined powers to the variouscomponents.

[0183] Practical examples of the electronic apparatuses include aportable personal computer, cellular phone, video cassette recorder ofthe view finder type or the monitor direct-view type, car navigationsystem, pager, electronic notepad, pocket-size calculator, wordprocessor, work station, videophone, POS terminal, and various types ofequipment including touch panels.

[0184] FIGS. 20(A), 20(B) and 20(C) show external appearances ofelectronic apparatuses each employing the electro-optic device 1 towhich the present invention is applied.

[0185]FIG. 20(A) shows an external appearance of a cellular phone. InFIG. 20(A), numeral 1000 denotes a body of the cellular phone, and 1001denotes an image display unit employing the electro-optic device 1 towhich the present invention is applied.

[0186]FIG. 20(B) shows an external appearance of a wrist watch typeelectronic apparatus. In FIG. 20(B), numeral 1100 denotes a watch body,and 1101 denotes an image display unit employing the electro-opticdevice 1 to which the present invention is applied.

[0187]FIG. 20(C) shows an external appearance of a portable informationprocessing apparatus such as a word processor and a personal computer.In FIG. 20(C), numeral 1200 denotes an information processing apparatus,1202 denotes an input unit such as a keyboard, and 1206 denotes an imagedisplay unit employing the electro-optic device 1 to which the presentinvention is applied. Further, numeral 1204 denotes a body of theinformation processing apparatus.

[0188] In the electro-optic device according to the present invention,as described above, connection to first electrodes extending over animage display area in a length-wise direction is established throughelectrical conduction between a first substrate and a second substrate.To the second electrodes which are extended over the image display areain a width-wise direction while being routed toward the outer side so asto bypass the first electrodes, signals are directly inputted fromexternal input terminals (second terminals). In a region where patternsmust be obliquely extended, therefore, there is no need to utilize theelectrical conduction between both the substrates. Thus, in the regionwhere patterns must be obliquely extended, it is only necessary to formthe second electrodes which can be formed with a reduced distancebetween the patterns. Accordingly, the necessity of reducing the spacingbetween inter-substrate conducting terminal portions is eliminated evenwhen the number of lines is increased in the region where patterns mustbe obliquely extended. With the present invention, therefore,reliability in the region of the electrical conduction between both thesubstrates does not deteriorate even in cases where the number ofelectrodes is increased.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electro-optic device comprising a firstsubstrate and a second substrate arranged in an opposed relation, saiddevice further comprising: an electro-optic layer supported between saidfirst substrate and said second substrate; a first electrode formed onsaid first substrate; a second electrode formed on said secondsubstrate; and a first terminal formed on said second substrate andconnected to said first electrode, said first electrode including adrive portion for applying an electric field to said electro-opticlayer, and an inter-substrate conducting terminal portion connected tosaid drive portion and said first terminal, said second electrodeincluding a drive portion for applying an electric field to saidelectro-optic layer, and a second terminal connected to said driveportion, said first and second terminals being arranged to lie side byside along one side of said second substrate such that said secondterminal is located on the outer side relative to said first terminal,and said second electrode being made of at least a material having alower electrical resistance than that of said first electrode.
 2. Anelectro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a second substratearranged in an opposed relation, said device further comprising: anelectro-optic layer supported between said first substrate and saidsecond substrate; a first electrode formed on said first substrate; asecond electrode formed on said second substrate; and a first terminalformed on said second substrate and connected to said first electrode,said first electrode including a drive portion for applying an electricfield to said electro-optic layer, and an inter-substrate conductingterminal portion connected to said drive portion and said firstterminal, said second electrode including a drive portion for applyingan electric field to said electro-optic layer, and a second terminalconnected to said drive portion, said first and second terminals beingarranged to lie side by side along one side of said second substratesuch that said first terminal is located closer to the center than saidsecond terminal;and said second electrode being made of at least amaterial having a lower electrical resistance than that of said firstelectrode.
 3. An electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and asecond substrate arranged in an opposed relation, said device furthercomprising: an electro-optic layer supported between said firstsubstrate and said second substrate; a first electrode formed on saidfirst substrate; a second electrode formed on said second substrate; afirst terminal formed on said second substrate and connected to saidfirst electrode; and an extended portion of said second substrateextending out of an edge of said first substrate, said first electrodeincluding a drive portion for applying an electric field to saidelectro-optic layer, and an inter-substrate conducting terminal portionconnected to said drive portion and said first terminal, said secondelectrode including a drive portion for applying an electric field tosaid electro-optic layer, and a second terminal connected to said driveportion, said first and second terminals being disposed in at least saidextended portion, said first and second terminals being arranged to lieside by side along one side of said second substrate such that saidsecond terminal is located on the outer side relative to said firstterminal, and said second electrode being made of at least a materialhaving a lower electrical resistance than that of said first electrode.4. An electro-optic device comprising a first substrate and a secondsubstrate arranged in an opposed relation, said device furthercomprising: an electro-optic layer supported between said firstsubstrate and said second substrate; a first electrode formed on saidfirst substrate; a second electrode formed on said second substrate; anda first terminal formed on said second substrate and connected to saidfirst electrode, said first electrode including a drive portion forapplying an electric field to said electro-optic layer, and aninter-substrate conducting terminal portion connected to said driveportion and said first terminal, said second electrode including a driveportion for applying an electric field to said electro-optic layer, asecond terminal connected to said drive portion, and a wiring portionfor connecting said drive portion and said second terminal, said wiringportion of said second electrode being located on the outer siderelative to said first terminal in a direction along one side of saidsecond substrate, and said second electrode being made of at least amaterial having a lower electrical resistance than that of said firstelectrode.
 5. An electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond terminal is located on both sides of said first terminal in thedirection along the one side of said second substrate.
 6. Anelectro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein said second terminalis located on one side of said first terminal in the direction along theone side of said second substrate.
 7. An electro-optic device accordingto claim 1, wherein said inter-substrate conducting terminal portion ofsaid first electrode and said first terminal are electrically connectedto each other by an electrically conducting material held between saidfirst substrate and said second substrate.
 8. An electro-optic deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein said electrically conducting materialcontains a resin held between said first substrate and said secondsubstrate, and conductive particles dispersed in said resin.
 9. Anelectro-optic device according to claim 7, further comprising a sealingmaterial disposed between said first substrate and said second substrateso as to surround said electro-optic layer, wherein said electricallyconducting material includes said sealing material and conductiveparticles dispersed in said sealing material.
 10. An electro-opticdevice according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode includes awiring portion for connecting said drive portion and said secondterminal, and said wiring portion is located on the outer side relativeto said first terminal in the direction along the one side of saidsecond substrate.
 11. An electro-optic device according to claim 4,wherein said inter-substrate conducting terminal portion of said firstelectrode is connected to an end of said first terminal, and said wiringportion of said second electrode includes a zone arranged obliquelyrelative to the end of said first terminal.
 12. An electro-optic deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein said wiring portion of said secondelectrode is arranged so as to bend around a lateral region of saidfirst terminal.
 13. An electro-optic device according to claim 1,wherein said first electrode is provided in plural number and saidsecond electrode is provided in plural number, and the number of saidfirst electrodes is larger than the number of said second electrodes.14. An electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein an image datasignal is supplied to said first electrode, and a scan signal issupplied to said second electrode.
 15. An electro-optic device accordingto claim 1, wherein said first electrode is formed of at least atransparent conductive film, and said second electrode is formed of atleast a metallic film.
 16. An electro-optic device according to claim 1,wherein said first electrode is formed of at least an ITO film, and saidsecond electrode is formed of at least a material selected from thegroup consisting of aluminum, silver, an aluminum alloy, and a silveralloy.
 17. An electro-optic device according to claim 1, wherein saidsecond electrode has an opening formed therein to allow passage of lightentering from the side of said second substrate.
 18. An electro-opticdevice according to claim 17, wherein said opening is a slit- orwindow-like opening.
 19. An electro-optic device according to claim 1,wherein said electro-optic layer is a liquid crystal layer.
 20. Anelectronic apparatus employing, as a display unit, an electro-opticdevice according to claim 1.